419 scam: "Col. S. D. Smith JR"<demo@hlumail.com> Dear Friend (CONFIDENTIAL MESSAGE FROM THE US MILITARY)

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "the consignment" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "trunk box" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "consignment " (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- scottysmith4u@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Col. S. D. Smith JR" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <scottysmith4u@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:29:57 -0800
Subject: Dear Friend (CONFIDENTIAL MESSAGE FROM THE US MILITARY)

Hello My Dear Friend,

I am Colonel Scott Dennison Smith Jr., American Combat Soldier Left Behind in Iraq after the Handing over to Iraqi Forces. All US troops were officially authorized to return back home on the 30th of December, 2011 as ordered by President Barrack Obama, some has returned home while some has left Iraq for Kuwait but I am one of the 157 American Soldiers Left Behind in Iraq for advisory and assistance to Iraqi Forces and also responsible for training at the US embassy, as well as a small contingent of marines protecting the diplomatic mission which will be for another one month.View the link to confirm my words.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16234723

In 2003, I and my unit found over $200 million USD in Saddam Hussein's hideout in Baghdad. We sent some of this stolen money back to the Iraqi Government after counting it in a classified location, but we also kept some behind for ourselves. Some of the money we shared among ourselves is worth over $100 million of which I kept my own share of the said fund in a military consignment trunk box for a while now in a secured place.

I want to hand over this funds to a trust Worth Person that will help me keep it till I am back from Iraq by the 30th of February 2012 hopefully. Could you be trusted? kindly send me your name and mobile number for easy communication. My own share of the funds is $4.2 Million USD kept in the consignment box. Also View the below link to verify my statement.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm

If you can handle this deal let me know immediately, you will receive 35% of the money, all you need to do is to find a safe place where you can keep the box till I leave Iraq. Please kindly keep this transaction Confidential because I am still serving in the Military camp in Baghdad Iraq so get back to me immediately at my private email with the details required from you. ( scottysmith4u@gmail.com )

Regards,

Col. Scott D. Smith Jr
US Military Baghdad, Iraq

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam